Pride at Work Reaction to Ferguson Decision

Washington, D.C. – Tonight, the grand jury in charge of investigating the shooting of Michael Brown announced it would not issue an indictment of Ferguson, MO officer Darren Wilson for Brown’s death. Pride at Work (P@W), the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) constituency group of organized labor, issued the following statement from P@W Executive Director Jerame Davis:

“The decision of the grand jury not to indict Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown feels like a punch in the gut to many. I am one of those who feel like justice failed us tonight.

“I believe in an America where there is no justification for a police officer to discharge 12 rounds at an unarmed teen. I believe in an America where police are expected and required to take every step possible to keep from killing the citizens they are sworn to protect. But most importantly, I believe in an America where black lives matter.

“In the labor movement, we fight every day to make sure everyone is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve on the job and in the public square. Our black brothers and sisters need and deserve a system that doesn’t fail them so tragically and with such frequency.”

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Pride At Work is the official constituency group of LGBT union members and allies fighting for workplace equality for LGBT workers.We organize mutual support between the organized labor movement in the spirit of the union movement’s historic motto, “An Injury to One is An Injury to All.” Workers interested in joining Pride at Work or in launching new chapter organizing efforts, can visit www.prideatwork.org or email us at info@prideatwork.org.